Anti-plane fracture analysis for the weak-discontinuous interface in a non-homogeneous piezoelectric bi-material structure

The concept of weak discontinuity is extended to functionally graded piezoelectric bi-material interface, and fracture analysis for the weak discontinuous interface is performed by the methods of Fourier integral transform and Cauchy singular integral equation. Numerical results of the total energy release rate (TERR) and the mechanical strain energy release rate (MSERR) are obtained to show the effects of non-homogeneity parameters, geometrical parameters and loads. Parametric studies yield three conclusions: (1) To reduce the weak-discontinuity of the interface is beneficial to resisting interfacial fracture. The effect of the weak-discontinuity of the interface on TERR and MSERR still depends on the strip width. The wider the strip, the more sensitive the TERR and MSERR will be to the weak-discontinuity of the interface. (2) To predict the effect of electric load on crack propagation, MSERR is more appropriate than TERR to be used as a fracture parameter. To predict the effect of mechanical load on crack propagation, both of them could be used as fracture parameters, and MSERR is more conservative. (3) Mechanical load and negative electric displacement load would promote crack propagation, but positive electric displacement load would retard it. For the structure applied by combined mechanical and positive electric displacement loads, crack propagation may be impeded by appropriately selecting the strip width and the ratio of non-homogeneity parameters.